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11/9/12 Mavericks vs Knicks7 :30 PM (ET)‎

"I was more than upset. I thought he was coming. I was pissed," Cuban said in late August. "J-Kidd is a big boy; he can do whatever he wants. But you don't change your mind like that. That was ... yeah. I'm sure I'll get over it at some point, but as of now, I wouldn't put J-Kidd's number in the rafters.

For two straight offseasons our Knicks have raided the Mavericks for their championship pedigree. In 2011 we got Tyson Chandler and this year we "stole" Jason Kidd after he gave Mark Cuban a verbal agreement for the same $$$. Since then have been fired and Kidd has taken the high road.

"I don’t play for the jersey. I play for my teammates," Kidd said earlier this week. "Cuban owns the team so he has every right to his opinion, but the one thing he can’t take away is a championship ring."

The Knicks spent two days at MSG Training Center after returning home from a glorious road win in Philadelphia on Monday. Marcus Camby was able to take advantage of the practice time to build conditioning and head coach Mike Woodson was pleased with his progress. Woodson told reporters on Thursday that he believes Camby can play on Friday in New York’s third home game of the season. The addition of Camby will add depth to a Knicks team that is 4-0 and ranks first in points allowed and third points per game.

The 2012-13 Mavericks are almost unrecognizable just two seasons removed from their run to the championship. Not only has the team undergone a massive makeover but Dallas is missing its franchise player, Dirk Nowitzki. Additionally, Shawn Marion is out with a sprained MCL in his left knee that he suffered against the Blazers. Head coach Rick Carlisle is attempting to work magic with a lineup featuring Mavericks newcomers O.J. Mayo, Darren Collison, Chris Kaman, Elton Brand, and rookie Jae Crowder. Meanwhile, veterans Troy Murphy, Dahntay Jones, and Vince Carter come off the bench. Surprisingly, Dallas is 4-1 to start this season despite the major shift in personnel and Nowitzki sidelined. The Mavericks have played just two games on the road and split the trip with a win over the Lakers and a loss to Utah on Halloween night.

Look for the Knicks to recapture the momentum gained in three straight wins over playoff teams from a year ago. The team is supremely confident as the only undefeated team in the NBA. However, the layoff between the game Monday night and Friday night games could be a potential stumbling block for a team in search of win No. 4. Throughout the practice sessions this week, the coaching staff has implemented some new schemes and plays to avoid a letdown and adequately prepare for the 4-1 Mavericks.

Quotes From The Knicks

Whatever is needed of me," Camby said. "They haven't needed me the first three ballgames, so I just want to come in here and add to what we've already been building."

"I got to figure that out. That's what I'm paid to do," the coach said. "I've said all along: It's not how many minutes you get, it's what you do with the minutes that you get. I'm a big believer in that. I'm not here to satisfy anybody. I'm here to coach this team the best way I'm capable of coaching it along with the staff. When you get in the game, you've got to perform and play."

"It's going to be huge," Chandler said of Camby's addition. "He can put in some positive minutes. Not just backup minutes, but some positive minutes out there. He can make a lot of things happen."

"It helps us tremendously," Woodson said of Camby's return. "This is a young man that's played in enough systems, that's talented enough to play defense. He's capable of scoring some points -- he can do a little bit of everything. (He can) block shots, were going to need that."

“I’m glad because I’m here,’’ Chandler said of Cuban’s indifference. “It’s a great situation. I’m very happy with the situation. I definitely think we had an opportunity to win back-to-back. Unfortunately things were blown up. That’s the business side of it.’'

“I wasn’t shocked because the direction of their organization,’’ Chandler said of Kidd’s defection that rankled Cuban. “Jason was coming down to the last years of his career. I’m just happy to have him here. There’s great personnel here and he feels like he has another chance to win a championship.’’

From a Writers Perspective• [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] that Carmelo Anthony is the catalyst of this Knicks team, regardless of how much Amar'e Stoudemire gets paid: "The Knicks woke up on Thursday in first place and as the league's only undefeated team. Yes, a 3-0 start doesn't mean the franchise should begin planning a parade for late June. Also, when — if — Amar'e Stoudemire is back at full strength, Mike Woodson will have to soothe egos and take a long, hard look at, dare we say it, making Amar'e the highest-paid sixth man in history... Trouble could arrive as early as the next loss because if we've learned anything about the Knicks the last 10 years, it's that controversy is a way of life at the World's Most Famous Arena."

• [Only registered and activated users can see links. ], Anthony has thrived at power forward: "The Mavericks will field a big lineup with Chris Kaman and Brandan Wright up front. Woodson probably will keep Anthony at power forward, though he wouldn't commit. Anthony has been terrific at his new position — strikingly strong on both ends... 'I'm trying to get Melo to do everything,' Woodson said. 'I don't want him to be perceived as just a scorer. Melo has been defending for us, rebounding for us. That's what he's got to do. The Olympic experience with Tyson gave them an opportunity to continue to play though the summer, and it's been a nice carryover since winning the gold.'"

• [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] that Kidd has been just as valuable as a leader as he's been on the floor: Kidd said he talks to Anthony all the time, and is trying to make him a better player... 'I want him to have a great year, but I want him to fulfill what he thinks his potential is, and that's to be one of the best in this league,' Kidd said. 'So for that I'm here to help him. If I think he's taking a step back, I got to push him to bring that to him. From day one, he's been going forward, and you can see that in his play.'"

Aside from the loss to Utah, the Mavericks have scored over 42 points in the paint in each of their four victories. While Collison and Mayo present problems for the Knicks backcourt, they should be able to handle the challenge with pesky defensive play from Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, and Pablo Prigioni. Kaman is the first true center the New York frontcourt has met this season and he is an underrated scorer at that spot. The Knicks big men will have to limit the production not only from Kaman but Crowder, Brandan Wright, and Brand as well. Luckily for New York, Camby should be able to see court time in his first game of the season.

KNICKS4LIFE_1985 KEY PLAYER TO WATCH +1 IF YOU NAME THE MOVIE

J.R. Smith has always had the talent to be one of the premier sixth men in the NBA, and so far this season his mental side has been catching up.

Under the tough love of Mike Woodson, Smith is taking better shots and is playing a much smarter brand of basketball then we're used to seeing from him.

Smith has bought into Woodson's system offensively and is now a willing passer, having tallied six assists against Miami.

Smith's effort has been commendable as well, as he looks committed on defense like we've never seen before.

It's way too early to start this discussion, but with James Harden now starting, watch out for Smith as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate.

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